How High-flying Airport Hit Turbulence

Turbulence Caused By A High Turnover Of Directors, Travel Scandals And Political Squabbles Has Left Goaa Reeling.

April 2, 1995|By Roger Roy of The Sentinel Staff

In two decades, the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority has built, almost from scratch, an airport known for its beauty and efficiency and recognized as among the finest in the world.

At the same time, GOAA has built for itself an often tattered reputation marked by political strife and embarrassments so regular they almost seem scheduled.

The same airport that oversaw more than $1 billion in hurried construction vital to the region's tourism economy went through seven executive directors in 10 years and was stung by three travel scandals in as many years.

Why the troubles? Few of those who work closely with the airport are eager to talk publicly about the flaws of the aviation authority, whose members have included some of Central Florida's most powerful and influential public officials.

But most cite the same reasons for the authority's stumbles:

High turnover among top staff. The airport authority has had five executive directors in as many years. Some authority members say stronger, more stable leadership could have prevented some of the problems.

The mix of politics and business inherent in the airport's operation, which once led an airport spokesperson to liken it to ''a multilevel corporation.'' Actually a government entity, the authority has sometimes been stung by an apparent failure to understand that public and private businesses are held to different standards. Several travel scandals fall in this category.

Conflicting agendas between the authority and Orlando. The city owns the airport and has some control over authority financial matters, but their interests can clash. For example, both downtown and the airport are vying to land the main regional station for the proposed Orlando-Tampa-Miami high-speed train.

Lately, the source of most friction has been the disagreements between authority Chairman Bob Hattaway and Orlando Mayor Glenda Hood, who have been on opposite sides of several debates.

Whatever the reason for the airport's travails, the cycle has proven tough to break.

After being named chairman of the seven-member authority in April 1994, Hattaway cited as a top priority cleaning up the authority's image in the wake of the airport's latest travel controversy - which had led in part to the forced resignation of yet another executive director.

In February, the authority approved tough travel guidelines designed to end the travel debacles. But on the same day, GOAA triggered its newest controversy by voting to pay Hattaway up to $30,000 a year to cover his business expenses, up from the previous limit of $21,000.

That prompted criticism from Hood, also an authority member, who a month later led a successful vote to cancel the increase and rescind the expense payments.

The debate also made public a $40,425 payment to former Chairman Jeff Fuqua. Authority members, who complained they had not been informed of the payment, ordered an investigation by an independent counsel. The counsel's report is expected later this month.

Authority seeks to buoy image

Despite the recent troubles, authority officials say, the airport is intent on reforming its image.

Hattaway said the public has heard too little about the airport's achievements and too much about its fumbles. But he acknowledged the controversies have damaged the airport's image in political and financial circles.

''It hurts us locally, it hurts us in Washington and it hurts us on Wall Street,'' Hattaway said. ''The No. 1 thing I want the airport to do is to have a clean image.''

Much of what passes for turmoil at the authority would have been little more than a minor annoyance 15 years ago, when the airport was embroiled in a nasty fight that would influence Orlando politics, change the shape of the aviation authority and land one of Orlando's best-known businessmen - Champ Williams - in prison.

In 1979, Williams sought an extension to the year 2007 of his lucrative monopoly on the airport restaurant lease he had held since the 1960s. Williams' political supporters on the Orlando City Council - which then selected authority members - removed members who had opposed the extension.

Williams later would be sentenced to prison for evading taxes on profits he skimmed from his airport restaurants. His power grab led to a flurry of lawsuits and threatened delay of the airport terminal then being built.

In 1981, the same year the terminal opened, Gov. Bob Graham and the Legislature took away Orlando's control of the authority. They changed the law so the governor would name five of the seven members, with the other two being the mayor and an Orange County commissioner.

GOAA selection faces scrutiny

The move abruptly ended Williams' influence over the authority. But the controversies since have caused some to question whether it's time for more reform.

''The airport has been digging its own grave deeper and deeper,'' said state Rep. Bill Sublette, R-Orlando. ''I think it could come to the point where the delegation would step in and say, 'Enough.' ''